Doctors Should Evaluate Hand Function in RA, Systemic Sclerosis

THURSDAY, March 30, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Assessment of hand function is an important component in the clinical evaluation of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic sclerosis (SSc), according to a study published online March 21 in the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases.

The researchers found that functioning and HRQoL were similar between the groups. However, patients with RA had higher visual analog scale-pain and body mass index. The Duruöz Hand Index showed similar functional loss in both groups. Hand function was strongly influenced by hand span, grip strength, and modified Rodnan skin score in SSc.

“Loss of hand functions is an important feature contributing negatively to the overall physical status and HRQoL in patients with SSc and may be more frequent and important than expected,” the authors write.